1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of bags which are used to retain sporting equipment and in particular equipment used to play the game of baseball and softball, including uniforms, balls, ball catching gloves, and bats. The present invention also relates to the field of sporting bags which can be hung from a chain link fence to facilitate ready access to the equipment retained inside of the bag, both before and during the playing of the baseball game or softball game.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, the concept of a bag used to retain sporting equipment for use in games such as baseball and softball is known in the prior art. The following Eighteen (18) patents and published patent applications are relevant to the field of the present invention:
1. U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,532 issued to Dennis R. Cash on Dec. 27, 1988 for “Carrier For Ball Game Items” (hereafter the “Cash patent”);
2. U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,010 issued to Miriam S. Levitas on Jan. 31, 1989 for “Garment Bag With Strap To Secure Closure Flap In Bundled Configuration” hereafter the “Levitas patent”);
3. U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,731 issued to Edward J. Mroz on Jan. 2, 1990 for “Personal Sports Equipment Carrier” (hereafter the “Mroz patent”);
4. U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,111 issued to Alan J. Lanouette et al. on Apr. 18, 1995 for “Sports Accessory Bag With Convertible Suspension Means” (hereafter the “Lanouette patent”);
5. U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,449 issued to Charles A. Boorady on Jun. 20, 1995 for “Convertible Bag And A Method For Converting The Bag Between Two Functional Carrying Modes” (hereafter the “Boorady patent”);
6. U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,363 issued to Rex F. Tomer on Oct. 24, 1995 for “Sports Utility Accessory” (hereafter the “Tomer patent”);
7. U.S. Design Pat. No. Des 370,560 issued to David R. Doerbaum on Jun. 11, 1996 for “Baseball Equipment Bag” (hereafter the “Doerbaum Design patent”);
8. U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,204 issued to Rachel T. Sapyta et al. and assigned to Rachel Theora Sapyta on Oct. 8, 1996 for “Foldable Carrying Case” (hereafter the “Sapyta patent”);
9. U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,474 issued to Daniel A. DeChant on Mar. 21, 2000 for “Miniature Golf Bag Travel Organizer” (hereafter the “474 DeChant patent”);
10. U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,034 B1 issued to Marc Fournier on Feb. 27, 2001 for “Sports Bag” (hereafter the “034 Fournier patent”);
11. U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,718 B1 issued to Daniel A. DeChant on Mar. 6, 2001 for “Miniature Golf Bag Travel Organizer” (hereafter the “718 B1 DeChant patent”);
12. U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,501 B1 issued to Joy Tong on Aug. 21, 2001 for “Composite Suitcase” (hereafter the “Tong patent”);
13. United States Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0062328 A1 issued to Dave Millard on Apr. 3, 2003 for “Sports Equipment Holder” (hereafter the “Millard Published patent application”);
14. U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,936 issued to Donald E. Godshaw et al. and assigned to Travel Caddy, Inc. Jan. 27, 2004 for “Cosmetic Utility Kit” (hereafter the “Godshaw patent”);
15. U.S. Design Pat. No. D489,898 issued to Ralph C. Oberhelman on May 18, 2004 for “Sports Equipment Bag” (hereafter the “Oberhelman Design patent”);
16. U.S. Pat. No. 6,948,599 issued to Kathleen Rodrigue et al. and: assigned to Sports P.A.L. Inc., on Sep. 27, 2005 for “Sports Bag Insert” (hereafter the “Rodrigue patent”);
17. PCT Application No. WO 98/52439 issued to Marc Fournier filed on Apr. 9, 1998 for “Sports Bag” (hereafter the “52439 Fournier PCT Application”).
18. U.S. Pat. No. 6,732,863 issued to Speck and assigned to Hillerich & Bradsby Co. On May 11, 2004 for “Baseball/Softball Equipment Bag (hereafter the Speck patent”).
The Cash patent discloses a carrier for ball game items such as baseball bats. The device is designed to hang from a fence and essentially can be unfolded so that it hangs by two suitable hooks, 70 and 72, so that there is access to the bats. This device discloses the concept of a hanging a bag in the vertical orientation so that the baseball bats can be accessed from the top of the bag by lifting the baseball bats vertically up and over and out of the bag.
The Levitas patent discloses a garment bag with a strap so that it can be carried and permitted to be hung vertically so that access can be achieved to various pockets within the bag.
The Mroz patent is a sports equipment carrier which has openings to permit it to carry one or more baseball bats. Further, the device can be carried by the handle. There is also disclosed two eyelets 28 which permit the sports bag to hang on hooks or nails that may be provided to protrude from a wall so that the equipment carrier 10 and the equipment carried therein can be readily stored when the equipment is not in use. The islets are strictly for storage.
The Lanouette patent is a small sports accessory bag to carry small items but definitely not baseball bats. It discloses suspension loops 16 and 17 which can be used to hang the bag from a horizontal bar such as an exercise apparatus as disclosed in FIG. 3.
The Boorady patent discloses a convertible bag. The bag contains a suspending device 34 which can be used to hang the bag from a hook on a door or wall enabling the loading and unloading of articles 24 from the interior 22 of the carrier 10.
The Tomer patent discloses a sports utility accessory which in its unfolded position can be used as a target for pitching and when in its folded position, used as a light bag to carry a baseball glove and a baseball which is used for pitching. It is essentially a fold over bag configuration which cannot be used to securely carry a baseball bat. The bag can also be hung by hooks as shown in FIG. 4.
The Doerbaum patent discloses a design patent for a baseball equipment bag. It has carrying straps but does not disclose any means by which the bag can be hung from a fence.
The Sapyta patent is a patent for a foldable carrying case which does disclose the concept of being able to hang the bag so that it hangs vertically so that horizontal pockets are exposed for access.
The '474 DeChant patent discloses a golf bag organizer. It can be hung vertically so that it can be accessed from a horizontal opening but the vertical hanging member is just simply hook 70.
The Fournier patent discloses a sports bag but its design enables the entire bag to completely open so that it is a generally flat configuration and then the bag can be hung from hook 12.
The '718 DeChant patent is just a continuation of the previous '474 DeChant patent and has the same disclosure. The organizer is a miniature golf bag. The sidewall of the organizer is re-closable with the slide fastener which has a track that defines a bent U-shape.
The Tong patent discloses a composite suitcase. It discloses drawbars 14 which permit a removable hanging hook 15 to be attached thereto so that the device•can be hung from the hanging hook 15.
The Millard Published patent application discloses a sports equipment holder which as disclosed best in FIG. 19 can be used to hold bats by being attached by horizontal tie members. The hook members 60 permit the sports equipment holder to be hung from a chain link fence.
The Godshaw patent discloses a cosmetic case which has two means by which the case can be hung vertically and one can gain access to the pockets which themselves hang vertically.
The Oberhelman patent is a design patent. It discloses the design and shape of a sports equipment bag. It does show the concept of having clip members but the clip members are attached at the vertical location so that the bag hangs vertically.
The Rodrigue patent discloses a sports bag insert which can be hung vertically by loop member 20 with the compartments exposed.
The PCT Application is PCT application based upon the Fournier patent which was already discussed.
The Speck patent discloses an equipment bag which has pockets for retaining sports equipment and a compartment for retaining a baseball bat. It also discloses a hook by which the sports bag can be retained on a chain link fence by hanging in a vertical orientation. As a result, to remove the baseball bat, the bat must by lifted out of and over the bag.
While the general concept of a sports bag to retain sporting equipment has been disclosed, there is a significant need for an improved bag configuration which enables easier access to the equipment, especially baseball bats, retained within the bag when the bag is hung from a fence.